How Far In Advance Can You Bake & Decorate?

I wouldn't hesitate to do it, because the thing is already baked, cooked, whatever ..... the problem with thawing and refreezing is with stuff that's raw. Just like cooked meat ... it can be frozen, thawed, refrozen, thawed, no problems All I know is I've been thawing, refreezing, thawing, refreezing, thawing, refreezing my icing for 16 years and never had a problem.

I'm gonna try freezing my frosting too...sure would save time to just have a huge tub of plain frosting already mixed upp and just have to thaw it, take some out and color it. I think I might make up some batches of the color I find myself using the most as well! We'll see how just one small batch goes first, though.

I have a ? about refrigerating or freezing a cake ahead of time and how it affects the texture: Last weekend I made a chocolate cake, 2 layers that I baked on Wednesday for a Saturday party. I'd read somewhere that putting them in the freezer after leveling would make them easier to work with when you were ready to build your cake. So they stayed in the freezer until Thursday night....took them out & put on my counter until Friday morning. Unwrapped on Friday afternoon - when I started torting them, I found them to be drier than the cake orginally was & this made for lots more crumbs. From what I had thought I understood, freezing them was supposed to help firm up the texture and REDUCE the amount of crumbs produced when torting/shaping, etc. The cakes weren't totally dried out, but the moisture level was definitely lower compared to the day they were baked before going into the freezer. It's not like they'd been in there a month or anything....then I would've expected some moisture loss...but it was only a little less than 24 hrs that they'd been frozen. I'm wondering if there's something we can add to a cake batter to help avoid this moisture loss if you intend to freeze or refrigerate the cake temporarily??? Or maybe just a specific type of cake - pound? - that holds up better to being frozen or refrigerated? If anyone has any ideas about this, I'd love to know what they are!! lol

TIA- Jenn

P.S. I had also brushed my cakes with simple syrup prior to wrapping and freezing - hoping to keep them moist....oh well!!

Well, then if it has worked safely for you, that is great!I was a bit concerned with the fact that folks are using the butter flavouring and the information that came up recently about it containing a form of milk. Also, some folks use milk or cream instead of water in their all shortening recipe. Actually, on the freezing and unfreezing and refreezing of cooked meat, I don't know about that. It was always not recommended before and unless some new information has come up, I wouldn't do it. I know that I have read that if you defrost in the refridgerator and then refreeze prevously frozen cooked meat, it is ok but this would be with the meat always being at a constant cool temperature. I would think that reheating it then cooling etc. would cause some risk of bacteria forming. So I wouldn't do it.I would think that icing made with water and shortening would be far safer than that made with butter, crem or milk, in terms of the freezing thawing and re-freezing states. We also have to be careful about the term re-freezing which is usually meant in relationship to meat that is taken home from the store in a frozen state and then put into the freezer. The safety of refreezing a lot of items seems to depend on them being kept at cold temperatures and in most cases once items are brought to room temperatures there is some issue with that.I cannot find my source on the Internet, but here are a few sites with some information on safety with frozen foods.www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/foodsci/agentinfo/hot/powerout.html www.uri.edu/ce/ceec/food/factsheets/powerout.html www.fsis.usda.govHugs Squirrelly Cakes

Well, I don't understand why the cake would be drier either, if it was well sealed.I freeze cakes a lot, although I must admit the chocolate cakes I freeze are from scratch, not cake mixes. I have never frozen a chocolate cake mix cake.I have noticed a lot of folks complaining about the crumbs from chocolate cakes and I must admit, I don't find them any worse than any other cakes. But then, I don't use cake mix cakes for chocolate cakes.Well, if you wrapped it really well, I don't understand it. I wrap in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil and then I bag the whole thing. Perhaps some air got at the cake?I defrost on the counter still in the plastic wrap. I usually ice the cake as soon as it is defrosted.I do use apricot glaze to crumbcoat before freezing, but your simple syrup should have the same effect.Just wanted to add this, you can freeze any buttercream that is made with the all shortening or part butter, part shortening, not the meringue buttercreams, just the regular decorating ones. The thing is I would not freeze, unthaw and re-freeze and icing that was made with butter and or milk or cream.You can refrigerate fondant, it is just when you refrigerate a fondant covered cake that you will affect the look and texture of the fondant. Apparently with some types, you can even freeze the fondant on its own and defrost in a refridgerator without the texture being affected. Again, a cake covered with fondant, does not freeze and defrost well. Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Squirrelly, You said you could freeze all shortening buttercream but not meringue buttercream.I use meringue in my all shortening buttercream.It's the recipe from the wilton classes.Didn't know there was a all shortening without meringue.

Heehee, that is a buttercream with meringue powder added for stabilizing, I mean that I would not freeze and thaw and re-freeze Swiss or French or Italian Meringue icings with egg whites where there is a special method involved, not the regular Wilton icing where meringue powder is added. Sorry. Hugs SQuirrelly

If you're worried about not using all of the icing you thaw out and use, try packaging it in smaller containers - maybe in amounts you would normally use for a cake. 6 cups or whatever. Then you'll more than likely use it all up and not have to worry about refreezing.

I'm trying to get better also with my time management. I do make my icings ahead of time and color them. It feels so good to know you already have that done when it comes to decorating time. If I have any leftover icing, I freeze it and I use the half butter/half shortening recipe.

I think anything you can do to make it not such a huge task, is a good thing. Because I use the half butter and half shortening recipe with cream and milk most often, I make it up about a week in advance always checking that the expiry dates are well within the timeframe the cake will be eaten. I know Wilton says you can do it two weeks ahead, but I prefer the 1 week timeframe. I usually store it in double Ziploc freezer bags in the fridge. I find the extra layer of plastic stops food odour transfer from being an issue and with the flat bags, you can stack them up and they take up a lot less space than containers do.Every so often I get hit with having to bake, make icing and decorate the same day and I find it tiring if it is a big cake with a lot of decorations. I prefer to have my icing ready and coloured, the cakes baked another day and icing and decorating the cake another day. It isn't as tiring with a character cake or ordinary sized simple cake, but whew, some cakes are tiring. Since I usually include some molded candy on the cakes, I try to do those up ahead too. Haha, must be getting old!Hugs Squirrelly

Thanks for all of this information! Can you freeze a "made from scratch" butter cake with the crumb coating on? I'm doing the cake from the Wilton magazine "Wedding Cakes A Romantic Portfolio" page 37. It looks basically very easy but, time here is an issue. We are also doing the bouquets for my daughters wedding, the flowers have to be picked up on the thursday before the wedding. Just thought if I could freeze it with the crumb coat on it would save a step. Also, is there anywhere in Canada that sells bulk cake sparkles? Thanks for all your help!

Thanks for all of this information! Can you freeze a "made from scratch" butter cake with the crumb coating on? I'm doing the cake from the Wilton magazine "Wedding Cakes A Romantic Portfolio" page 37. It looks basically very easy but, time here is an issue. We are also doing the bouquets for my daughters wedding, the flowers have to be picked up on the thursday before the wedding. Just thought if I could freeze it with the crumb coat on it would save a step. Also, is there anywhere in Canada that sells bulk cake sparkles? Thanks for all your help!

Thanks for all of this information! Can you freeze a "made from scratch" butter cake with the crumb coating on? I'm doing the cake from the Wilton magazine "Wedding Cakes A Romantic Portfolio" page 37. It looks basically very easy but, time here is an issue. We are also doing the bouquets for my daughters wedding, the flowers have to be picked up on the thursday before the wedding. Just thought if I could freeze it with the crumb coat on it would save a step. Also, is there anywhere in Canada that sells bulk cake sparkles? Thanks for all your help!

Not sure what you mean by cake sparkles either. You likely mean the sugars and yes, Bulk Barn does have them. I might add that also sprinkling on some of the Wilton iridescent glitter on top of the sugared fruit will add a bit of extra sprakle, That is a lovely elegant cake! Well, crumbcoating before you freeze, that isn't something I do except with the thinned apricot glaze. That is my standard crumbcoat and yes I freeze cakes crumbcoated with that. I know other folks crumbcoat with buttercream and freeze. And from scratch cakes freeze very well, I might add!Whew you have a lot of work on your plate, don't do! I can see why you would want to do up as much in advance as you can. I wish you all the best for this special day! Hugs Squirrelly

I've frozen a crumb coated bc cake before & I personally would not recommend it....especially not for something as important as a wedding cake. I applied the crumb coat & let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes just for the icing to set up....then wrapped in 2 layers saran wrap, one layer foil and when I thawed and unwrapped it, it looked fine. But when I went to apply the next layer of icing it wouldn't stick to the crumb coat. I thought maybe there was excess moisture escaping through the bc crumb coat, but the cake was completely defrosted/thawed.....so I waited another 30 minutes or so and then dabbed all over the crumb coat very gently with a paper towel just to remove any moisture that might be there. It didn't help. So I basically just had to crumb coat all over again....let it set up then apply a final layer of icing.

So for a wedding cake, I wouldn't risk it....just too much of an important day and you already have so much you're responsible for...don't take your chances with freezing the cake with the crumb coat on it. My advice is to freeze the cake after it's baked and cooled (which you can do many days ahead of time if you need to & the cake will still be fine)....thaw....crumb coat....and if you have to attend to other things before the final icing & decorating, just keep it refrigerated.

That's JMO...I wish you the best of luck with everything you have to get done!!

One question of yours that hasn't been completely addressed is your difficulty in torting your cake. Cakes are far firmer when they are completely or partially frozen, so try torting then, not after they have completely thawed.I don't know why your cake would be drier after freezing, though. Mine always seem moister, if that's possible, and that's just with a double layer of plastic wrap.

Thank you, alimonkey. I've considered torting when partially frozen, but wasn't sure about it. Now I'll try it! It made sense to me that if it was partially frozen that the cake would produce less crumbs from cutting...but I didn't have time to make another (on the last cake I did) if I somehow destroyed it while torting...lol. But I have one for this Saturday that I'm going to go ahead & bake tomorrow & freeze. So I'll have enough time to bake another if I end up with it in pieces!!! lol. As for the dryness issue, don't know what caused it myself...maybe just the kind of cake it was or something. But for this other cake, I'll be using a pound cake, so I think it'll be fine.

This is all great advice thank you! One question, after I ice a three tiered cake in an all shortening icing should I leave it out in a cool place or refrigerate. I am worried about it sweating when it comes out of the fridge or cracking the fridge. Thoughts?

This is all great advice thank you! One question, after I ice a three tiered cake in an all shortening icing should I leave it out in a cool place or refrigerate. I am worried about it sweating when it comes out of the fridge or cracking the fridge. Thoughts?

It's fine at room temp as long as you aren't using perishable fillings.

I filled the cakes with a sour cream chocolate filling. I iced the tiered cakes last night, they are in the fridge. I was planning on adding the fondant pieces tonight. Will fondant stripes and a fondant plaque be ok in the fridge over night? The cake is being picked up tomorrow at 11:00 and the party will be at 5:00. Should the cake be in the fridge during the 11-5 or can it sit out? They are taking it to a country club so they do have a big fridge. Any suggestions would be very appreciated! I am so nervous!!!

As for the dryness issue, don't know what caused it myself...maybe just the kind of cake it was or something. But for this other cake, I'll be using a pound cake, so I think it'll be fine.

What I have been doing (which has been working for me) is I bake my cakes by Tuesday or Wednesday cool, then freeze by wrapping in plastic wrap really good and then in a freezer bag. If the cake is too big for the bag I wrap a few more times in plastic wrap (no more than 2 days in the freezer). Thursday, I will torte while the cakes are defrosting (I let them sit for 30 min to 1 hr before I torte). Once that's done I then put the simple syrup on right after. Then fill, then crumb coat. I let it rest/settle in the fridge, if longer than an hour wrap in plastic wrap (this depends on my day....I have a 6 month old so my days change quickly lol) Thursday night or Friday I cover in fondant and decorate. Saturday I try to keep free for last minute things or just extra time if something happens. I haven't had a problem with the moistness or freshness with my cake especially when adding the simple syrup after taking the cake out of the freezer. But I do find they are more crumbly when I torte them this way, but I find it way easier!

AHi I am a newbie and started making cakes when I was diagnosed with coeliacs. I have done many family cakes but now others want them. So I'm so glad this post was put up as I also have ME/cfs and fibromyalgia and have to pace myself. This post has made me realise I can do more by being organised and use my time wisely. I didn't realise you could freeze buttercream and cakes could be made 2 days before. I usually make cake and decorate the day before and then I'm ill for days. So thank you for this great post and question :)

Hi Everyone, I'm really sorry if this answer should be obvious from the previous threads, but I have recently caught the baking bug and so just want to make certain I don't screw this up!

I have been tasked with making the family father's day cake (for my dad, uncles and grandfather) for Sunday. I work full time and am busy tomorrow evening, and then have no time Friday night or Saturday when I am delivering it.

So my plan was to make a chocolate madeira cake sandwiched and covered with chocolate ganache before adding fondant and other decorations (it will hopefully wind up being a golfing cake!).

So my question is, can I make and ganache the cake tonight and then fondant it tomorrow and add the final decorations on thursday?

Will it still be ok by Sunday? And what's the best way to store it as I go along?

I have a cake order due sunday for a baptism. But I hav3 a family reunion to attend on sat afternoon. Now I dont know how to store or when to decorate my cake so I could attend my family event and have a great tasting cake.

Its 3 individual cakes 10" 8" 6" all 3 are chocolate with chocolate mousse filling. The covering and decorations are all fondant. So with mousse filling and fondant covering when do I finish the cake??? Is there anyway I could have my sat free??

So I am still relatively new at this, so I don't know how a mousse filling will affect things, I have only done buttercream ones so far, which is awesome cos you can make the buttercream ahead of time and freeze it in an airtight container, and then I just get it out the freezer the day I need it and a few hours later its ready, give it a quick whip and its ready to go!

But anyways back to your cake! Panic not! Sunday is only 3 days away so if you made the cake today, the fondant will effectively seal it, meaning that whilst it stays uncut, it can't really go stale (I'd keep it in an airtight container though!), and will definitely be fine on Sunday. If you're worried about it, you could just make all the decorations today and store them in an airtight container and they'll be fine, then make the cake tomorrow. I usually like to split up my cake baking and decorating because it's usually quite a lot to do in one day anyways, unless it's simple! I'm making cupcakes for a wedding next Saturday (so over a week away) but the bride needs them by Thursday to take to the venue, so I have to have them finished by wednesday evening, so they'll be baked 3 days ahead of when they'll be eaten and I'm starting some decorations this evening.

If you're worried about the mousse filling (like I say I don't know about this - need the help of other cakecentralers!), then you could make all the decorations today & tomorrow and even bake the cake today then freeze it if you like or just wrap in a couple of layers of cling film, then put in an airtight container, until you're ready then worst case, on saturday, all you'd have to do is make the mousse filling, cover and attach the decorations.

But I honestly think if you have it completed tomorrow, it'll be fine on Sunday.

AThank you for your advice. I made the mousse already and that I know I could store for a few days. But its putting the fondant on the mousse and putting it in the refrigerator that is making me uneasy because fondant sweats and gets hard.

But making the decorations Ahead and storing them is a great tip never done that. I always rushed and did decorating after the he cake was already done. Ill work on the decorations tomorrow. Thank you.